This Is How You Skip Din Tai Fung's Three-Hour Line

I headed out to lunch yesterday fully prepared to stand in line for three hours so I could get my hands on some soup dumplings at Orange County's newest DTF.

I had my notebook ready and everything, and I as I walked towards the storefront (it's by Sears, just so ustedes know), I was already making notes about the time I arrived, the stores I passed, and the line I saw.

But then a funny thing happened on the way to soup dumplings: I got seated in 10 minutes. And you know what? You can too.

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How, you ask? How did I jump a line that was three-hours long at one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of 2014 (For those of you who don't know, Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese restaurant that has an intense cult following for its soup dumpings, wonton-like pockets of protein filling and actually broth. Also, you won't actually find that long of a line. Din Tai Fung takes down your phone number and texts you 10 minutes before your table is ready)?

Well, it was actually pretty simple. I came alone, and I sat at the bar.

Yeah, sorry guys, this might not help those of you who want to come in groups. But hey, if you just want to try it out during lunch, by all means stake up at the bar. I'm not going to guarantee a seat in 10 minutes, but it'll probably be quicker.